The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon.
Typically, an awning is a secondary covering attached to the exterior wall of a building. It is typically composed of canvas canopy that is stretched tightly over a light structure of aluminum. Numerous types of inside and outside awnings are commercially available, including curtains on a curtain rail, optionally raisable roller blinds, pleated and cellular shades, folding blinds, vertical slat blinds, horizontal slat blinds.
Generally, retractable awnings have been utilized for many years, particularly as awnings for windows or entry doors of building structures. The awnings are typically rolled out during daylight hours to block undesired sun rays and rolled in at night when the sun has gone down. Such awnings normally include a roll bar which is mounted in a moveable manner along an outer edge of the awning sheet so as to roll away from and back to the building as the awning is extended and retracted, respectively.
It is also known that retractable awnings have been mounted on the sides of mobile homes, recreational vehicles, travel trailers or the like. These newer versions of the retractable awning normally include support posts for supporting the outer edge of the awning sheet either by forming a brace from a side wall of the vehicle or by forming a ground support.
Generally, awnings are manually opened and closed by way of an elongated rod with a hook. The rod is manually rotated such as to gradually displace the awning towards the desired position. This operation requires a considerable number of rotations of this rod. Recently, motorized systems have been developed in order to open and close awnings.
It is known in the art that retractable awnings can be rotationally manipulated to extend and retract the cover. One type of retractable awning is a retractable lateral arm awning. This is a modern version of a manual crank-up awnings, in which tension arms and a roller bar are supported by a torsion bar. The torsion bar fits into wall or soffit brackets that spread the load to the width of the wall. Another known type of awning is a retractable side awning. Commonly used to shade a window, with a roller tube at the top, spring-loaded side arms, and a motor, crank or tape-pull operator. Yet another type of retractable awning is a pop-up canopy.
Other proposals have involved devices to manipulate awnings. The problem with these awning operational devices is that they do not automate the process. Also, the rotational speed is constant, which can cause damage to the awning; especially when extending or retracting the canopy too fast. Even though the above cited awning operation devices meets some of the needs of the market, an awning adjustment device with variable speed and direction control. More so, the present invention relates to an awning manipulation device that opens and closes awnings by way of an elongated rod provided with a hook and by rotating the elongated rod such as to gradually displace the awning towards the desired position; whereby the rotational speed of the rod is either controlled by a user, or controlled by a rotation counter to variably increase or decrease the rotation of the rod, so as to prevent damaging the awning by rotating too fast, is still desired.